Zim is adding larger ships to their Southeast Asia to US East Coast expedited ocean service next month. Zim’s eCommerce Baltimore Express (ZXB) started as a fortnightly service last year, but will now become a weekly service by the end of February. This comes as Asian imports to the US East Coast in 2022 have seen modest gains, up 6.2% …
Vessel Reliability Improves, but not to Pre-Pandemic Levels Yet
The Global Liner Performance (GLP) report shows that vessel schedule reliability continues to trend upwards. The report includes data from 34 trade lanes and over 60 carriers.
Air Cargo return to Pre-Pandemic Levels
Global air freight levels for 2022 were 1.6% lower compared to 2019 pre-pandemic levels, according to data released by International Air Transport Association (IATA). 2022 levels were down 8.2% compared to the extraordinary demand in 2021. Capacity in 2022 was 4.5% above 2021, but 9.0% below 2019.
U.S. East Coast Port Workers Begin Contract Talks Before Sept 2024 Expiry
The union locals that represent workers from 36 ports from Maine to Texas have started contract talks with employers before the September 30, 2024 expiry date. Both sides are eager to work on a new contract in the midst of difficult labour-management relations across industries, which includes the U.S. West Coast ports that have been without a contract for 7 …
Four Greener A350 Freighters ordered by Air France-KLM Group
Air France-KLM Group continues to invest in fleet renewal by placing a firm order with Airbus for four new A350 freighter aircraft. The new aircraft will replace the airline’s current Boeing 747 freights in 2026.
Industrial Demand Remains High in North America
The continued robust demand for industrial construction in North American has driven up overall costs and material lead times. The construction industry is still feeling the lingering effects of the pandemic.
The End of the 2M Alliance between MSC and Maersk
MSC (Mediterranean Shipping Co.) and Maersk announced that their 10-year 2M Alliance will end in January 2025. The two carriers currently have a complex partnership that covers 30 loops and strings on all major trade lanes.
West Coast Dockworkers Taking Random Job Actions to Disrupt the Flow of Cargo
The ILWU are sending a message to West Coast terminals by taking targeted job actions that disrupt terminal operations. As negotiations enter their ninth month, the longshoremen are strategically limiting the level of disruption to avoid the attention of media and the Biden administration.
19% of Sailings Cancelled between Jan 30 – March 5
According to Dewry’s cancelled sailings tracker, 131 blank sailings have been announced between between Jan 30 – Mar 5 (week 5 to week 9). This is out of a total of 693 scheduled sailings across the major trade routes of Transpacific, Transatlantic and Asia-North Europe & Med.
5 Ways to Improve Supply Chain in 2023
TEC Canada featured a great interview with Schulich School of Business professor M. Johnny Rungtusanatham, who offers some practical advice on improving your supply chain in 2023.
Trucking in 2023 bottoming out
Analytics are predicting that trucking rates are bottoming out. Some key leading indicators like internal truckload freight index and a spot rate data set, have stopped falling. Morgan Stanley’s forecasting tool is now showing that truckload spot rates will move 15% higher over the next 12 months. FreightWaves National Truckload Index shows spot rates have increased 20% from a mid-November …
How much does ChatGPT know about shipping?
ChatGPT is all the rage these days. If you haven’t heard of it, it is a prototype artificial intelligence chatbot which specializes in dialogue. Journalist Hariesh Manaadiar decided to test ChatGPT’s knowledge about global shipping by asking it, “What to do if I lose my original ocean bill of lading?”
ZIM Invests in Fintech to Provide Easy Financing for SMEs
Israeli carrier ZIM has teamed up with venture capital firm Team8 to invest in Tel Aviv-based fintech company 40Seas, with $111 million in funding. 40Seas is creating a global commerce solution for SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises) to access digital financing.
Logistical Bottlenecks to Fully Normalise by April 2023
The global pandemic in 2020-2022 disrupted normal operations in global logistics. The 100 vessels waiting outside the Los Angeles ports and other disruptions reduced global capacity by 13.8% in January 2022. During normal circumstances, only 2 percent of capacity is held up.
Chinese New Year to Cause a Slowdown in Shipments
Chinese New Year begins on January 22, launching China into its longest holiday of the year and creating a slowdown in shipping for the next two weeks. This year is the Year of the Rabbit, which symbolizes longevity, peace, and prosperity.
3 Ways to Lead Well in a Bad Economy
We wanted to highlight an excellent article from Harvard Business Review titled How to Be a Good Leader in a Bad Economy and share our takeaways. It seems like the world has just survived the Covid-19 pandemic only to enter a recession, and compounding crises make people more vulnerable. Normal “leadership principles” are not working and possibly making things worse. …
Report: Driver Shortage in Europe to Triple by 2026
The IRU released a new report showing that truck, bus, and coach driver shortages in Europe could triple by 2026 if there is no action taken. The need for drivers continues to increase, with a 44% growth in demand from January to September this year. By 2026, 30% of current drivers are expected to retire. But few young drivers are …
Import Declines Expected for First Quarter of 2023
The National Retail Federation is forecasting at 15% decline in container imports for the first quarter of 2023. After peaking in May 2022, imports have been dropping because retailers have built up inventories earlier in 2022 after experiencing delays in 2021. Also, consumer demand has been slowing down as a result of higher inflation and interest rate hikes.
The Port of Vancouver’s Podcast
Did you know that the Port of Vancouver has a podcast? Breaking Bottlenecks just finished Season 2 which includes 5 episodes that explore bottlenecks in global trade and supply chain logistics. The podcast looks at “the intricacies, infrastructure and innovations that connect Canada’s businesses and communities with the world, as seen through the inner workings of the Port of Vancouver.”
China Opening Up as Covid Restrictions Lifted
As China shifts away from a zero-Covid policy and eases restrictions, the leadership will be prioritizing economic recovery in 2023. This comes as China reported its monthly trade data for November, which was the lowest in two and a half years.